With a flick of his wrist, Dongfang Heng produced a sandalwood block the size of a child's palm. Four auspicious clouds adorned the four corners, and a majestic and solemn character for "soldier" was carved in the center. It was antique and exuded an extraordinary aura!
Shen Lixue looked at the military tally: "Have you been holding it in your hand the whole time?" When he walked out of the room, she didn't notice anything unusual about him, and when the wind blew his clothes, she didn't see that he was holding something in his hand.
The military tally was neither too big nor too small, and it was placed in Dongfang Heng's palm, completely concealing him so that no one could see it at all.
"The more dangerous the place, the safer it is!" If you suspect someone is hiding something, the first thing you should do is search their pockets and all the places where they can hide things. Who would have thought that they would have something in their hand?
"What do you plan to do with this military tally?" Shen Lixue knew that Dongfang Heng had no ambition to ascend the throne and unify the world, and would not use the military tally to force the emperor to revolt.
"The military tally has been delivered to my doorstep; there's no reason for me to refuse it!" Dongfang Heng said calmly, a cold glint flashing in his deep eyes.
"You're planning to secretly keep the Imperial City Guard's military tally?" Shen Lixue blinked. Whenever Dongfang Heng showed this expression, it meant he was about to teach someone a lesson.
“That’s right!” Dongfang Heng said softly, his obsidian-like eyes flashing with a sharp, cold light.
The man in black was clever. He saw Dongfang Hong lead his men into the mansion to search before placing the military tally in Fengsong Courtyard, intending to frame him. However, the man in black never expected that Dongfang Heng would find the military tally quietly and hide it.
The guards found nothing, and Dongfang Han was even arrested as an assassin. It was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead, losing both his wife and his army.
"Dongfang Heng, can you guess who the mastermind is tonight?" Dongfang Heng is the Azure Flame War God, an outstanding figure among the younger generation. Many people envy and are jealous of him, but those who have the ability to steal the military token and frame him are few and far between.
"The mastermind behind Dongfang Han is the same person behind Dongzhu Yi. The father and son are both under the command of one person." Dongfang Heng spoke eloquently, his gaze deep.
"The military tally is kept in the Emperor's possession and is kept very secure. The only people who know the location of the military tally and can steal it are the Emperor and a few princes. Dongfang Han is not capable enough to steal the military tally. He is just responsible for framing someone."
"There are two suspects in this scheme. One is the Crown Prince. He first sent an assassin to kill Dongfang Zhan, and then framed me. This not only eliminated a powerful rival in the struggle for the throne, but also schemed against me. However, I can't figure out why the Crown Prince would frame me for this!"
"And then there's Prince Zhan!" Dongfang Heng's gaze instantly turned as deep as a pool; he and Dongfang Zhan had an irreconcilable conflict.
“The Prince Zhan was far away at Black Mist Mountain last night, so he wasn’t the one who stole the military tally…” The only suspect left is the Crown Prince. He has no grudges against Dongfang Heng, and they have a good relationship. They also have no conflict of interest. Why would he plot to frame Dongfang Heng?
Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted outside, growing louder and louder, disturbing everyone's peace.
Dongfang Heng looked towards the door, his brows furrowing in displeasure: "Who's making a scene outside?"
The faint sound of wind breaking faded into the distance, only to return in an instant. Zi Mo appeared in the courtyard and respectfully said, "Your Highness, it was Dongfang Han who was making a fuss!"
"He's still painstakingly explaining that he's not an assassin?" Dongfang Heng's slightly upturned lips curled into a mocking smile.
“No, he’s been poisoned!” Zi Mo shook his head.
"Poisoned?" Shen Lixue was startled and rushed to the door. Dongfang Han was a spineless coward and would definitely not be able to withstand the torture of the Ministry of Justice. He would confess everything. The mastermind behind the scenes would kill him before he went to prison to silence him. It was convenient and safe. How clever.
Stepping out of the Holy King's Mansion, Shen Lixue immediately spotted the layers of guards standing silently twenty meters away. Their painful screams echoed through the sky, shocking everyone present. She hurried over to them.
When the guards saw her, they made way for her. Luli was surrounded by Dongfang Han, who was lying on the ground, rolling around and howling in pain. He was covered in filth, and his face, neck, hands, and all the exposed skin outside his clothes had turned blackish-purple, which was terrifying.
Dongfang Hong stood to one side, his brows furrowed. When he saw Shen Lixue, his eyes lit up: "Princess, you know medicine. Can you tell what kind of poison he has been poisoned by?"
The doctor will arrive soon. He didn't want to trouble Shen Lixue, but judging from Dongfang Han's appearance, he was about to reach his limit. If he was delayed any longer, he might die. The sooner he was treated, the better his chances of surviving.
"How was he poisoned?" Shen Lixue approached Dongfang Han, observing him carefully, subtly probing Dongfang Hong.
"I don't know either." Dongfang Hong shook his head: "The guards were escorting him, and as they walked, his face changed, and he collapsed to the ground, howling incessantly!" He had already questioned the guards escorting Dongfang Han carefully, and none of them were suspected of poisoning him.
Shen Lixue frowned. The poison was very skillfully applied; even Dongfang Hong hadn't seen it clearly. Or perhaps, Dongfang Hong had poisoned Dongfang Han, intending to kill him to silence him.
"You guys hold him down while I use acupuncture to see if I can detoxify him!"
The guards stepped forward and held down Dongfang Han's limbs tightly, preventing him from moving. He looked at Shen Lixue with red eyes, his gaze filled with anger and fervor. His mouth opened and closed as if he were saying something, but he was in great pain and discomfort, and his mouth was crooked, making it difficult to see clearly.
Shen Lixue took out her silver needle pouch, pinched out a few silver needles, and quickly inserted them into several major acupoints on his chest. When she pulled them out, the silver needles were pitch black, indicating that they were indeed highly poisonous!
"Ahhh!" Dongfang Han suddenly struggled violently, throwing four or five guards away with great strength. He let out several shrill screams towards the sky, and a large amount of blood suddenly gushed from his mouth and nose. His body convulsed continuously, and his bloodshot eyes were wide open, gradually turning ashen.
His body slumped to the side and he fell to the ground, lifeless, but blood kept flowing from the corner of his mouth, staining the yellow earth red.
Dongfang Hong was startled: "What's going on?"
"He died from the poison!" Shen Lixue put away the silver needles, slowly stood up, and looked at the black marks on the needles. Her clear, cold eyes were like glass, crystal clear.
"The doctor is here!" Two guards rushed over, supporting an elderly doctor. Fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads, indicating that they were indeed traveling at a great speed.
Dongfang Hong glanced at the old doctor indifferently: "The person is already dead!"
The old doctor was carried here by the guards, his feet barely touching the ground as he ran at breakneck speed. Still somewhat shaken, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at Dongfang Han, whose face was dark purple and blood was flowing from all seven orifices. His aged eyes narrowed sharply: "He died from poisoning. It was a deadly poison!"
"Your humble servant deserves to die!" The guards were shocked and knelt down to beg for forgiveness. The Crown Prince had ordered them to fetch a doctor, but they were too late!
Dongfang Hong, a member of the royal family, had never seen such a potent poison. He died from the poison in less than half a cup of tea, with no time to save him. The person who poisoned him was determined to kill him and silence him.
"This has nothing to do with you!" Dongfang Hong stared at Dongfang Han's pale-faced corpse: "Take him back to the Ministry of Justice for a thorough examination!"
"Yes!" The guards responded loudly and carried away Dongfang Han's body on a stretcher.
"Princess, farewell!" Shen Lixue inserted silver needles, but Dongfang Hong did not suspect her ulterior motives. He cupped his hands, mounted his horse, and quickly left, with the guards following closely behind in neat rows.
Shen Lixue watched Dongfang Hong and the guards walk away. She looked down at the silver needle in her hand, her cold gaze changing slightly, and quickly returned to the Holy King's Mansion.
"Dongfang Han is dead!" Dongfang Heng lay sprawled on the soft couch, sipping his tea absentmindedly. When he saw Shen Lixue walk in, he didn't even look up and simply stated the result.
“Dead!” Shen Lixue nodded, her gaze deep and unfathomable.
“I knew when Dongfang Hong took him away that the mastermind wouldn’t let him live to reach the Ministry of Justice!” Dongfang Han was just a pawn in his hands. Once the pawn was suspected and arrested, it had no more value. Of course, the mastermind wouldn’t let him live to reveal the secret.
Dongfang Heng did not stop him because he could find out the real mastermind through other methods and did not need to extract information from Dongfang Han.
"Dongfang Heng, do you know who the mastermind is?" Shen Lixue sat down on the soft couch, looking at Dongfang Heng, her voice low.